Mike Holmes: Hear no evil through walls

Proper insulation on walls that are shared between two homes such as semi-detached homes will help contain noise within each unit.

Photographed by:Alex Schuldt, The Holmes Group

It’s no secret that lots are getting smaller and homes are being built closer and closer together. You can tell just by looking at older subdivisions — and I’m not even talking that old, just 20 to 30 years — and comparing them with new ones.

Attached living spaces, such as townhouses and condos, are also on the rise. Most major cities across the country are seeing this huge push for more multi-unit living spaces. This all spells out one thing: We’re living closer to our neighbours.

The closer we get, the more likely noise is going to be an issue — and the more popular soundproofing products and materials are going to be.

When noise becomes an issue between neighbours, it can be a real nuisance. You can feel awkward bringing it up to a neighbour if their noise disturbs you. You’re probably going to be telling the kids to keep it down more often, which isn’t fun for anyone. You might feel like you have to whisper and limit noise-making activities — such as vacuuming or playing music — to certain times so you don’t bother anyone. It can feel like being a prisoner in your own home.

It’s really no one’s fault — just poor construction.

You could have the quietest neighbours. But if the walls between your homes aren’t properly constructed, you will hear the footsteps, the talking, the kids.

Sound is measured in decibels, so pros will use a decibel metre to measure how much noise travels through a surface such as a wall or ceiling. We use STC, or sound transmission class, to measure how much sound moves between the exterior and interior of a home and between living units. The higher the STC rating, the better. A wall built to minimum code should be able to block 46 STCs.

The problem is that there are high and low frequencies. High frequencies are easier to eliminate. Homes built to minimum code can block out high-frequency sounds. It’s the low frequencies that are harder to deal with. Low frequencies are the bass or the boom you hear when people walk. To get rid of those you have to spend money.

So what can you do to solve the problem?

A contractor interested in a quick fix might tell you to add a layer of drywall — right over the existing drywall — which will help. But I’d rather use a better drywall product that gives a lot of soundproofing for not a lot of material.

Soundboard is one option. But some drywall products are equivalent to eight sheets of drywall. One type has viscoelastic polymer on both sides of a thin layer of metal. The viscoelastic polymer eliminates sound by converting acoustic energy into heat. This product will stop sounds such as yelling and screaming or phone ringing — all high-frequency sounds. It will also stop any low-decibel bass. But if you have a high-decibel bass where you crank the volume to the levels of a concert speaker, you’re going to need more than just better drywall to stop the sound.

If sounds and noise are getting into your home, the culprit is usually missing insulation. You want to use a proper, safe insulation on a shared wall. This serves two purposes: One, it stops sound; two, it stops fire. You don’t want to hear your neighbours and you don’t want a fire on their side to spread to your side. Makes sense to me.

Many attached living spaces will have a double wall. That means there’s one wall on one side and another wall on the other side, and both walls are divided in the middle by drywall. Minimum code says that if you have a double wall only one of them needs to be insulated. But as long as we build to minimum code things aren’t going to work properly. If you want to make it soundproof, add more insulation.

After going through the trouble of taking down drywall and adding extra insulation, you might as well go the extra mile. I would use sound wrap on any electrical boxes and receptacles along a shared wall. These are weak points that allow smells and sounds to travel. Sound wrap is like a putty; it sticks to any surface. And when you wrap it around electrical boxes and receptacles, it doesn’t let sound travel through.

You really get what you pay for. You could have a beautiful home with major noise issues. But if you spend a little more money you could stop the problem. The best solution is building it right the first time. I think most homeowners would be willing to pay for that extra silence if builders gave them that option. Because putting your money in the right place makes living at home sound a lot better.

Catch Mike Holmes in his series, Holmes Makes It Right, Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on HGTV. For more information, visit hgtv.ca. For more information on home renovations, visit makeitright.ca.